Teenage Supporters

[Lanky]

Just reading the posts here I see the oh so clever remark that Essendon have so many teenage supporters. This is supposed to be a put down? Correct me if I am wrong but aern't these kids the future?. I would be worried if all your club attracts is older supporters and the young go elsewhere. Stupid put down don't you think? Also if Essendon supporters are not passionate why have they the most members, 6 out of 10 biggest crowds this year and I think the sight of WCE and the Dons in a final with a sea of red and black scarves etc one of the best sights I have seen. I don't support Essendon and follow the Roos who I am really worrried about because we just don't attract enough support (my view) and if the you cannot attract the young you are doomed.

 

[Stealth bomber]

I hate to see it become an age issue; my problem (and I am an Essendon supporter) is I think too many of them become fans for the wrong reasons.

I don't think a lot of teens are interested in the footy so much as because they think Matthew Lloyd is a choice piece of arse. If you've ever seen BomberTalk you'll know what I'm talking about (and look at that SEXIEST AFL PLAYER THREAD).

For those teens here genuinely interested in footy, I apologize for that stereotype.

Here in the U.S., most people are interested in wearing sports clothes for fashion and nothing else. I guess I kind of take issue to that...walk up to a teenager wearing your teams colours and ask them if they're a fan, you'll usually get "oh no, I hate sports..I just like this shirt". Sorta frustrating to me.

 

[BJ]

Ok I would just like to say, being a teenage girl and all....I feel the need to defend my fellow footy fans!
The 'sexiest afl football player' post was replied by many people. I was one of those people and just because I happen to think that some footy player is gorgeous doesnt mean that I only like football because of that player. You say that you are worried that people are going for teams because of the wrong reason, well if you will bother to see you will notice that the players the girls wrote as the sexiest players are not even in the team they barrack for! SO OBVIOUSLY THEY DONT FOLLOW FOOTY FOR THE GUYS YOU IDIOT!
and besides if they were to follow footy just for the guys (im well aware that some people do) then they would not be going for bloody Essendon!!!! They would defintetly be Hawks fans SO SHOVE THAT IN YOUR PIPE AND SMOKE IT!
Im so sick of people bagging girls who suggest that some player is goodlooking! It is a fact of life for goodness sake! We are girls and we are suppose to notice that kind of thing! That doesnt mean that we are watching the footy just to check out the guys, I find it very hard to believe that anyone could sit through 3 hours of football just waiting for some babe to run past with a ball in his hands!!!
cheers
BJ
p.s Go Jaxon!!!! Hope you get picked up in the draft tiger!

 

[Dan26]

The fans that are attending Bomber games now, will remain Essendon fans for the rest of their lives. If there are youngsters in the schools who only support players for their 'looks' these people are not the ones who are going to be attending each week. They are the ones who watch on TV. The real fans are the ones who atgtend each week.

Essendon has more supporters outside the teenage bracket anyway (about 3 times that of North), so the present and future are in good hands. You don't change teams. If you start barracking for Essendon now (or any team for that matter), you will reamin with them for the rest of your life.

 

[AlfAndrews]

Dan24,

Perhaps it's just as well you did survive that car-crash because it would be sad for you to go to your grave under the mistaken assumption that old-style club loyalty can be taken for granted indefinitely.

Sure, I would agree that, traditionally, a child chooses a club for whatever reason (family, territorial reasons, success, attraction to a particular player, whatever). And they have, traditionally, stuck to that club for the remainder of their lives.

But let's not forget that this sort of Club loyalty was a product of a very different world to the one we live in now.

People growing up in the Depression or during war-time had a greater capacity to endure hardship. And that sort of stoicism extended to their capacity to support a football club through thick and thin. Much of that stoicism was passed on to the next generation but it's been gradually diluted generation by generation.

There was also a strong tradition, in the old VFL, of supporting the club that represented the area you lived in. With the draft etc., as well as the demographic drift into suburbia, that is no longer an issue. Players are no longer loyal to one club, so you don't have that example of local patriotism either.

There is also a modern tendency for attention spans to diminish. Kids are constantly being bedazzled by sensory input to the extent that it takes greater and greater levels of stimulation to keep them interested. A Club like mine quickly earns the "loser" tag in the eyes of impressionable kids. So, at this point in history in is distinctly un-kewl to support Collingwood.

Any kid who is attracted to Essendon simply because the club is successful will be in for a rude shock if/when the club's fortunes take a dip. Kids addicted to success will not tolerate failure for long because it will seriously challenge their attention span.

I've said it on another post that the main difference between supporters of the different clubs these days is simply the colour of the merchandise that they buy. The AFL clubs these days are just like 16 different brand names for essentially the same product. The old community/family consciousness is becoming increasingly irrelevant in a market driven society, where success goes to the company with the best marketing campaign.

Essendon's efforts on and off the field in recent years have put them in a very strong position, but that can change very very quickly. And I think you'll find that the market these days is becoming increasingly fickle.

You really can't take it for granted that teenagers attracted to Lloyd's arse are going to still be wearing red and black scarves five years down the track. What if Lloyd changed clubs? What then? I've heard that a lot of Adelaide fans jumped ship (excuse the pun) to Fremantle when pretty-boy Modra went there.

So there you go. I hope this long post didn't challenge too many people's attention span.




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**floreat pica**

 

[Crow54]

Well, Alf that was a big message.

But it seems hypocritical for others to complain about teenage girls following footy just because they like the looks of certain players, when all the male media here in Adelaide are drooling over Tatiana. Also they all openly admit to watching the women's tennis because of Anna Kournikova and the Williams sisters. What's the difference?

Who cares why people follow the footy. Just as long as they spend their money and support a great sport.

 

[ArdenSt]

To AlfAndrews,

could not agree with you more. A very well constructed argument, and all your points are very valid. All clubs have supporters who are very fickle, and love to voice their support of a club as long as it is successful. But come a barren period in terms of success for the club, and they are no where to be seen.

The Eagles are a case in point. They have had huge support in WA for the past 14 years, especially in the early nineties when they were the top dogs. That support is starting to wane (true supporters will remain loyal before I get a heap of backlash from Eagles people) in recent times. With success unlikely to be the case in the next few years, it will be interesting to note how many of the bandwagonners jump off. There will be heaps don't worry about that. There are even people in WA saying they don't mind as long as one of the WA sides is doing well. What a load of sh*t!!! No passion or true support for your club. (Again there are exceptions)

It is one of the reasons what I do have a lot of respect for Saints supporters, who have remained loyal to their club over many years of lowly finishers. That is passion!! Don't be suprised in 5 years, when many of the new Bombers supporters have jumped off to support the latest flavour of the month. It will happen at any club during periods of success.

The strength of your support for your club can only be truly measured by how loudly you can support and defend them during periods of limited success. It is easy to yell and scream and gloat when your club is winning, but show the same passion when your side gets their butts kicked. That is when the club and players need your support the most. The majority of people who have followed their club for 20 or 30 years, and there are a few on this board, will know what I am talking about. We have had those games, seasons, decades when we have been the chopping block (the early '70s and most of the '80s for me).

Don't get me wrong, I am sure that there is true passionate support for the Bombers ( without any doubt,and if not the strongest, then very close to the strongest in the league), but some of those frontrunners will be supporting other clubs, or not following footy in 5 years time. It happens at every club.

Cheers, ArdenSt

[This message has been edited by ArdenSt (edited 14 October 2000).]

 

[Dan26]

AlfAndrews,

I know what you are saying. But the unloyal supporters are the ones who are at home watching on TV. The ones who make the effort to go to the game are the "loyaler" ones.

Of course supporters stick with a club. Look at Collingwood.

Your mob still has a great deal of support, from the days where you used to be a power. That was where the Collingwood support was initially garnered from. Those supporters are still with the Pies. You can see from attendance, membership, and official stats, that the Pies still have strong support.

The ones you are losing are the "new' supporters coming through.

Obviously there might be a "few" supporters who change clubs. But these are the kinds of people that will only go to one game a year (if that) anyway. So, who cars about them ? I mean, really, can you imagine a 15 year old chick barracking for Essendon and going to all 22 games, and then finding out Essendon were not sucessfull. She wouldn't "all of a sudden" just start attending the 22 games of the top team (whoever that is). She might stop going to a few Essendon games, but she wouldn't change teams.

Like I said, if anyone does change teams, they are not the kind of supporter that regualry attends football matches anyway. So who cares about them ?

See what I mean ? If someone changed teams, they are not the "type" of person who would have been a regular football follower anyway.

Luckily, Essendon already has massive support in ALL age groups. When we became a power again under Sheedy, we still had massive support garnered from the success in the 40's, 50, and 60's. Even though our performances dropped in the 1970's, the supporters were still there, as proved by the attendances we still attracted in the 1980's.

When Richmond stuffed up in the 80's (as you think Essendon will in the near future), they didn' lose their support. You can see that the Tigers have maasive support and are probably the thrid most popular team in Melbourne. When people start barracking for a team, they are stuck with that team forever. You can always tell me one-off examples of disloalty, but for the most part, the fans that "make the effort" to go each week and the ones who are going to be loyal to your casue.

The ones that aren't loyal are the ones who are sitting at home, or don't have much of an interest in football in the first place. Generally speaking anyway.

 

[gocatsgo]

Hey Alf, are you trying to out-do Dan with the length of posts?!?!?!?!?

 

[PieGirl#41]

Originally posted by Dan24:

Like I said, if anyone does change teams, they are not the kind of supporter that regualry attends football matches anyway. So who cares about them ?

See what I mean ? If someone changed teams, they are not the "type" of person who would have been a regular football follower anyway.

Dan24- you are a fool. My sister (21) and I (16) were both Fitzroy members. And we were the real deal, rain, hail or shine we were there. Since the death of Fitzroy, we have changed clubs, me to Collingwood and her to Geelong. We are both members of our chosen clubs and are still there rain, hail or shine. So to contradict what you were saying people that change clubs can be loyal supporters and don't always change to the team which are grand final contenders ie. Carlton, North, Essendon etc...
So just because someone changes teams it doesn't mean they are a fickle supporter.
So don't be so steriotypical.



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Go Chippa Your A Legend

 

[Dan26]

Piegirl,

That's a stupid thing to say. They only changed teams because their team (Fitzroy) no longer existed.

If peple changed teams, then no one would be barracking for Collingwood anymore would they ? But HEAPS of people do barrack for Collingwood (and Richmond for that matter, wjo have been similarly unsuccessful in recent years), so obviously, MOST people don't change teams. Your club is a perfect example.

 

[Arch]

pie girl- if you were the real deal, youd still be a Lions fan- rain,hail or shine, and so would your sister- you are a traitor to your club, and you'll have to live with that.

& All this moaning about people "jumping on the bomber bandwagon" is, generally speaking, a load of crap.

If such were true, then wouldnt North Melb also have legions of fans all of a sudden during the 90's. Why do they still struggle to attract fans to games ????

Or is it just that Wayne Carey isnt as good looking as Lloydy or something ????

god help us all for f*cks sake.

A.

 

[Rooboy 96]

Originally posted by Dan24:
about 3 times that of North

Dan you drip... I love how you compare everything you say to the Great Club... I know you must be so jealous... as all you ever talk about is THE MIGHTY KANGAROOS the 1999 Premiers...

 

[AlfAndrews]

Arch,

Go bite your bum.

Why should Pie Girl support a club that's based in Brisbane and only plays half a dozen games a year in Melbourne?

What has the Brisbane Lions got to do with Fitzroy anyway?
That Brisbane-Fitzroy thing in 1996 was a takeover, not a "merger".



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**floreat pica**

 

[sandie]

Alf
Because that's what loyal supporters do. On that assumption I should barrack for WC now because I've been living in Perth for 10 years & only get to see the Bombers a couple of times a year. If you love your club, you follow them wherever you go or they go.

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Mantis

 

[TigerTank]

Originally posted by Dan24:


When Richmond stuffed up in the 80's (as you think Essendon will in the near future), they didn't lose their support. You can see that the Tigers have massive support and are probably the third most popular team in Melbourne.

Alas, that is not completely true.

Richmond has strong support in most age groups from 5 to 95, with the notable exception of the teenage age group.

In other words, a decade of supporters jumped ship after 1982 and haven't come back thanks to the club's attrocious '80s.

Richmond has crashed from second most popular in 1985 (according to an ABC radio news story I heard back then) to fourth most popular Victorian club (Morgan Poll). I would like to think that the remainder though are all true supporters who passed the loyalty test.

I don't think you can trust most supporters to stick with a club until they are in their mid-twenties. After that they are stuck for life.

A disasterous decade would see Essendon's support base fall to Richmond levels (or slightly higher), just as Carlton's would do the same (or slightly lower).

Support base should not be taken for granted. Richmond has the second highest number of junior members in Melbourne but desperately needs to convert a high proportion of them into senior members in the next 20 years.

Another decade like the '80s would mean Richmond would lose the best part of a generation of supporters. That could wreck the club permanently. I suspect it would take two disasterous decades to wreck Essendon, but it isn't impossible.

Remember that up to the late 1940s, Fitzroy was all-powerful. No club - not Collingwood, not Essendon - is immune.

 

[Arch]

Alf,
For the same reason that I follow Essendon, who only plays one/two games here per year. If the Bombers (god forbid) had to merge (or be "taken over") or move, despite being terribly sad about it, I would still follow them "rain,hail or shine", rather than jumping on the bandwagon of some random team.

Anyway- admirable of you to stand up for your little piegirl despite the fact the post didnt concern you. But thnx for your "input".

A.

 

[geelong4eva]

If that merger in 96 was fair dinkum, they should have been called the Fitzroy Bears and played 8 home games in Brisbane 4 in Melbourne, and another 5 (minimum) away games in melbourne so those Fitzroy fans still got a chance to see their team in action. if it gave teh lions an unfair advantage, tough Shit. I can't remember the VFL/AFL giving the Royboys any advantages when they were fitzroy, unlike the player concessions they regularly dished out to richmond when they were crap (and because the tigers wasted them all iE Jamie Elliot Ha Ha) the afl still gave them good draft picks . Look at the way the Tigers stole Gaspar From Sydney. The Tigers bribed Gaspar with a huge offer which exceeded their salary cap at the time (This is a fact) yet they got away with it thanks to the 'moratorium' Say all you want about Essendon and Melbourne but those two clubs would be dirty with how Richmond got away with it. I am not having a go at Richmond by the way, merely stating the facts.
But Fitzroy Will Love forever, ditto South Melbourne.

 

[Dan26]

Tigertank,

You're wrong. Richmond "didn't 'lose" any supporters between 1982 and 2000. It's just that due to their incompetence, no "new" supporters have wanted to support them. That's all.

The fact that the Tigers have such a strong fan base in the 30 plus age group, shows that the fans who started barracking for the Tigers after premiership success in 1967,69,73,74 are still with the club. They never left.

The reason you have dropped to 4th most supported is NOT because fans have been deserting you. It's because you havn't been able to attract new fans. That's the reason.

Teams that have had the most success will always keep those supporters who started barracking for them early on. That is why Collingwood still retains a large supporter base despite their incompetence.

And for what it's worth, obviously Brisbane-Fitzroy was a fair merger. The club retained everythign about Fitzroy (jumper, emblem, song etc) EXCEPT the home ground. Now since there were TWO clubs involved, they had to chose which city was more appropriate. With ten clubs already in Victoria, it is obvious to all that the club HAD to be based in brisbame. It is imperative to have a club in Australias third largest city.

Technically, the Brisbane Lions are a "new" club formed in 1997. Their history starts in 1997. They are formed from a merge between two fotball clubs (Bris.Bears and Fitzroy), and the New team (Bris.Lions) is a new entity in it's own right, with a history that began in 1997.

All these idiots that think it wasn;
't a real mertger are fools. What do they want ? The club to be called the Fitzroy Bears ? Yeah right ! Real sensible idea that one. Calling them the Brisbane Lions was the only name appropriate for a merger between those two clubs.

 

[James2]

Dan 24 is right. The Brisbane Lions are a merged entity. It was not a takeover as many continue to bleat.

Just to help, here are the definitions of "merger" and "takeover."

Merger: Corporations

"A combination of two or more firms or corporations, usually such that one is absorbed into the structure of the other(s) and loses its seperate identity."

Takeover: "The acquisition of a controlling interest in a target company's shares."

Quite obviously, the Fitzroy Football Club was not taken over by the Brisbane Bears. If that was so, then the FFC would (could/might) still exist. For example, AMP acquired GIO Insurance in a takeover, but GIO still exists as a seperate body.

A merger results in the creation of a new entity, where the weaker partner usually (but not always) loses its identity. This is what happened with the MERGER of the Brisbane Bears and Fitzroy Lions.

Hopefully this skeletal discussion of Corps. Law, will lay to rest many of the lies that are peddled about the Brisbane Lions.

 

[PieGirl#41]

Arch: You are a dickhead!!!! Like Alf said it wasn't a merger it was a takeover there is nothing of Fitzroy there! And if I were to support Brisbane it would have been the same as me going for Collingwood. There is no Fitzroy in Collingwood and there is none in Brisbane. So any of you who think I am not a loyal supporter and Collingwood then you just go and get Fu@ked!!!!
And why have a go at ALf for saying he agrees with me?? What he said is his opinion!! And just because it is the same as mine it doesn't mean a thing! Most other people on here have the same opinion it is just different to mine on this matter.

Sandie: Are you saying I am not loyal to my club?? You say you only get to see the bombers play a few times a year. Well if you were 'loyal' you would get to see them play more then a few times a year!!!!

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Go Chippa Your A Legend

 

[Roylion]

With respect Alf and G4eva, but as Collingwood and Geelong supporters what would you know about the Brisbane-Fitzroy merger? Both your clubs made SERIOUS approaches to takeover...sorry merge... with Fitzroy in 1996. For Collingwood it was their third approach, but was kncoked back on every occasion by the Fitzroy board. I am bloody sure as a former Fitzroy member,coterie member as well as shareholder for over 30 years and current Brisbane Lions member that the 'Fitzroy-Collingwood Magpies' or the 'Geelong Lions' would not have preserved Fitzroy 's identity in the AFL half or even a quarter as well as the Brisbane Lions have. So don't come on with unsubstantiated statements about how the merger wasn't a true one based on some half baked media reports and your own conception of what really happened. Have you even read the merger document? No...well I have. I have a copy beside me right at this moment.

Alf asks what have the Brisbane Lions got to do with Fitzroy? For his benefit, I will repeat for the third time (on this forum) what the Brisbane Lions have to do with Fitzroy. (Apologies to everyone else who has read this before!)

They are:

a) The merger licence clearly states that Fitzroy's 'Lion' and colours must be used in 'perpetuity'- forever. A minimum of two directors specifically representing Fitzroy, must be on the nine man Brisbane Lions board. At the moment there are three.

b) The theme song to Fitzroy's old tune has lines from the old Bears and Fitzroy's theme song, with a heavy predominance to the Fitzroy side of things.
"We are the boys from Brisbane Town
We wear maroon, blue and gold
We will always fight for victory
Like FITZROY and BEARS of old." etc etc.

c) The Lions train in Brisbane before a Brisbane match and in Melbourne for a Melbourne match. 500 supporters turned up to the training run before the Carlton-Brisbane semi-final at Fitzroy's old stomping ground the Junction Oval. They also train at Albert Park (where Fitzroy used to train) and also at the MCG...as Fitzroy used to do before it's MCG games.

d) The Lions in Season 2000 played 1 Ansett Cup match + six ' Home' matches + 1 final in Melbourne. 8 matches in all. The Gabba had twelve matches (11 home games + 1 final. All Victorian members by virtue of getting a Vic. membership gain FREE admittance to Lions matches in Melbourne both H&A and Ansett Cup. These are our home matches. What do you expect, when it's a merger between a club (the Bears) that has it's own stadium and represents a capital city with a club (Fitzroy) that had no real home and represented just one tiny suburb of another capital city.

e) The Bears no longer exist either as a legal or AFL entity. A new licence was issued by the AFL and a new company the "Brisbane Bears-FITZROY Australian. Football Club" (trading as the 'Brisbane Lions') was formed. The Bears were replaced by a NEW club, the Lions, formed by the merger.

f) The Melbourne suburban clubs sponsored by Brisbane Lions are those that specifically played in Fitzroy colours, or have the name or have some other connection to Fitzroy. Brisbane sponsor far more clubs in Victoria than do most other "interstate" clubs" other than the Sydney Swans. By doing this they are taken the role that the FFC would have taken if it was an AFL club still. It's not just limited to merely monetary sponsorship either.

g) The Brisbane Lions acknowledge Fitzroy history and tradition in their Yearbook and periodic magazine "The Lions Tale", by featuring stories on great players, supporters, old matches etc etc. that can be read by former Bears supporters as well as Fitzroy people;

h)The Lions B&F medal the Merrett-Murray Medal PARTLY named after Fitzroy Brownlow Medallist Kevin Murray; Named after Roger Merrett as well because it was a MERGER!

i)The "Fitzroy-Brisbane Past Players Association" has also merged is an active part of the Brisbane Lions and headed by Norm Brown a Fitzroy great). It's membership includes 90% of the past players from both the Bears and Fitzroy who are still alive;

j) The acceptance of the Brisbane Lions as a PARTIAL continuation of the Fitzroy club in the AFL by former Fitzroy players such as Mick Conlan, Laurie Serfini, Kevin Murray, Gary Pert, Paul Roos, Bill Stephen, Kevin Murray, Norm Brown, 'Titch' Edwards, Bernie Quinlan, Brad Boyd, etc; I myself have spoken on several occasions to players like Micky Conlan, who believe that the Lions have done a fantastic job in preserving and acknowledging the Fitzroy history. Gary Pert for example is a Brisbane Lions supporter and member as are his kids. Brad Boyd, Fitzroy's last captain is a firm supporter of the Brisbane Lions and beleives that if Fitzroy had to merge they could have done it little better that what actually happened. Several former chairmen of the FFC are now patrons and members of the Brisbane Lions including George Coates and Leon Wiegard.

k) The Brisbane Lions Melbourne social club "the Manningham' has been established in the heart of Fitzroy's old recruiting zone at Bulleen;

l) The Brisbane Lions 'Lions Den' at the social club at Bulleen is full of Fitzroy memorabilia. There's another large amount of Fitzroy memorabilia at the Gabba, which Paul Roos mentioned on Channel 7 at least once during the past season. Roos stated than in his opinion there was plenty of Fitzroy in the new Brisbane Lions and hoped to go back there one day in some sort of coaching/advisory capacity.

m) Fitzroy Life Members are automatically life members of the Brisbane Lions. Former Fitzroy life members have been officially presented with their Brisbane Lions life membership in several ceremonies held by the club.

n) The Brisbane Lions hold annual family days in Victoria, in which most of the Brisbane senior list are present and where this year 5,000 Brisbane Lions Victorian supporters turned up. As I was an attendee I witnessed that present were the "Fitzroy Reds" Football Club who ran a stall, represtatives of the Coburg-Fitzroy Football Club, former Fitzroy players, such as Osborne, pert, Conland, Murray, etc and a large amount of supporters still wearing the old FFC jumper , as well as other FFC memorabilia

o) Continued production of new Fitzroy "memorabilia" that the Brisbane Lions produce, pay for and sell. The latest is a magnificent framed poster of every Fitzroy player to have played 100 games for Fitzroy;

p) The establishment of the "Fitzroy-Brisbane Historical Society" by the club and staffed and run by former players whose mission is to collect amd commemmorate Fitzroy history. This is done under the auspices and encouragment of the Brisbane Lions.

q) 10,000-12,000 Brisbane Lions supporters at most Victorian matches depending on the opponent. 3,000 paid up Victorian members in Season 2000. Fitzroy only had 8,000 members in 1996 and crowds to match. I went to an AFL match between Sydney Swans and Fitzroy in '95 at the Western Oval that had 5,000 people turn up.

r) Only Melbourne has after-match functions where Victorian (read Fitzroy) supporters can intermingle with the players. This does NOT happen in Brisbane, after a home game.

s) Co-captains. Michael Voss and Alistair Lynch. Voss for the Bears, Lynch for the Roys (and I realise Lynch was a Bears player as well!)

Now Alf, how about refuting each and every one of these arguments and tell me why and how the Brisbane Lions has nothing to do with Fitzroy? The playing and financial operations of Brisbane and Fitzroy have 'MERGED' (i.e joined together) reasonably successfully. It's not perfect, but it damn sight better that the 'North Fitzroy Kangaroos' the 'Fitzroy-Collingwood Magpies', the 'Geelong Lions', the 'Hawthorn Lions' the 'Adelaide Lions', 'Norwood Lions' the 'Port Adelaide Power Lions' or any of the other crappy merger offers that came from just about every other AFL club except Essendon, Carlton, Sydney, West Coast and Fremantle.

As for Geelong4eva's stupid suggestion, read d) again .....several times until you get the idea as to why they weren't called the 'Fitzroy Bears'.

 

[Drakey]

Alf

Your 1st post was outstanding. I think you may be underestimating teenagers/young supporters though. They have a lot more choice now than ever before & some will drop off footy or never get into it but plenty do/will.

As for supporters changing clubs to follow a particular player - I certainly heard that Freo increased it's membership base in Adelaide then MODRAAAAA!!!! went there. I personaly know of 1 person who became a member. He was a Carlton supporter so work that out. I don't know any Adelaide members who changed clubs. All home games are still sellouts & the waiting list for membership is getting bigger so I think any shift in support was minimal.

Piegirl has the right to change her support from Fitzroy to The Pies. It's 1 thing to say I would support a merged team, it's another to actually have to make that decission.

I think there are 2 kinds of supporters. Those that put their money where their mouth is & pay up to see their team play (provided they can - ie Adelaide's 12yr waiting list) & those that don't. Your club doesn't care why you go as long as your bum is on a seat.

 

[TigerTank]

Roylion,

An extremely well-argued post. I doubt you'll get too many replies because you have completely demolished your opponents' case.

My best mate is a Fitzroy-Brisbane supporter who is actually more likely to go to a Lions game now than 10 years ago because they are a stronger entity on and off the field. It's easier to drive 300km to Melbourne if you know your team has a half decent chance of winning.

Having said that, I think it would have been smart public relations for the Brisbane Lions to come to the aid of Coburg-Fitzroy. It would have been better still if they nominated Coburg-Fitzroy as their VFL partner, just as Sydney has done with Port Melbourne. If the club drafts a young Victorian, let them play in their home state for 12 months to ease them into the AFL.

Good on you for staying with the lions. If it were my club I would have done exactly the same as you.

Gee, it's pretty easy for a Collingwood or Geelong supporter to lecture a Fitzroy supporter on mergers, isn't it!

 

[Arch]

well pie girl- im not surprised in the slightest that you had to resort to namecalling and abuse. Thats your nature, as you are a very unintelligent teenager, with very little going for you by the sounds of things.

But, you HAVE sold out your club, and as you can read in Roylions post, there is much of Fitzroy in the (now) Lions organization, so you are wrong with what you say.

Im sorry if having simple home truths pointed out to you, makes you angry.

Perhaps youre angrier about the fact that youve shown yourself up as a footy traitor.

so have a nice day sweetheart.